Year: 2002
Type: article
Abstract: We investigated temperature $(T)$- and magnetic field-dependent optical conductivity spectra $\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ of a ${\mathrm{La}}_{5/8\ensuremath{-}y}{\mathrm{Pr}}_{y}{\mathrm{Ca}}_{3/8}{\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}(y\ensuremath{\approx}0.35)$ single crystal, showing intriguing phase coexistence at low T. At ${T}_{\mathrm{C}}<T<{T}_{\mathrm{CO}},$ a dominant charge-ordered phase produces a large optical gap energy of $\ensuremath{\sim}0.4 \mathrm{eV}.$ At $T<{T}_{\mathrm{C}},$ at least two absorption bands newly emerge below 0.4 eV. Analyses of $\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\omega})$ indicate that the bands should be attributed to a ferromagnetic metallic phase and a charge-disordered phase that coexist with the charge-ordered phase. This optical study clearly shows that ${\mathrm{La}}_{5/8\ensuremath{-}y}{\mathrm{Pr}}_{y}{\mathrm{Ca}}_{3/8}{\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}(y\ensuremath{\approx}0.35)$ is composed of multiphases that might have different lattice strains.
Language: English
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1609428162